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The main dish, Regional

Trout with almonds

Trout with almonds is six whole trout pan-seared in butter, topped with toasted almonds and a squeeze of lemon, served with sautéed potatoes. For 6 people, plan on 30 minutes of active work out of 45 minutes total, the potatoes get precooked that morning and the rest comes together right before serving. It's easy, around €5.20 per person, and success comes down to drying the trout well and toasting the almonds dry.

Whole trout pan-seared in butter, covered in golden almonds and a squeeze of lemon, with crispy sautéed potatoes.

Trout with almonds
For
6 people
Work
30 min
Total time
45 min
Prep
Prepared the same day
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€5.20
Calories per person
550 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach

Trout with almonds looks like it took real effort, but it mostly comes down to timing. The skin turns crisp under your fork, the flesh stays tender, and the foaming almond butter adds a golden crunch that a plain pan-seared fish never gets on its own. The lemon wakes everything up without ever covering the fish.

It's a classic countryside dish that works just as well for a spring dinner with friends as for a summer family meal, served with sautéed potatoes that soak up the pan juices. Kids generally like it, as long as the bones are removed, and the rest of the menu can stay simple, a light starter before and fruit after.

The schedule

What happens when, so you can be with your guests instead of in the kitchen.

  1. The day before Nothing to do
  2. The same day 1 step, 15 min
  3. Before the guests arrive 2 steps, 3 min
  4. When it's time to serve 3 steps, 22 min

In the morning, precook the potatoes and slice them, then leave them at room temperature. Right before your guests arrive, toast the almonds, chop the parsley, and prep the lemons. At serving time, brown the potatoes, pan-sear the trout, then pour the almond butter over them in front of everyone if you can, it smells great at the table.

The ingredients

6 people

Fish counter

  • Whole gutted trout 6

Pantry

  • Sliced almonds 80 g
  • Flouroften in the pantry 4 tbsp
  • Neutral oiloften in the pantry 4 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Dairy

  • Butter 120 g

Fruits and vegetables

  • Lemons 2
  • Flat-leaf parsley 0.5 bunch
  • Waxy potatoes 1.2 kg

Allergens Fish, Tree nuts, Lactose, Gluten

The recipe, moment by moment

The same dayDuring the day, whenever you get a moment.

  1. Cook the potatoes in salted water until three-quarters done, drain, let them cool, then slice into rounds. 15 min

    Precooked potatoes brown better and don't fall apart.

Before the guests arriveThe last hour, right before the doorbell rings.

  1. Toast the almonds in a dry pan, stirring, until golden, then set aside. 3 min

    Watch them closely, they go from golden to burnt in ten seconds.

  2. Chop the parsley, juice one lemon, and cut the other into wedges. Salt the inside of the trout.

    Rinse and dry the inside of the trout, water keeps them from browning.

When it's time to serveThe final touches, right in front of your guests.

  1. Brown the potatoes in very hot oil for 12 minutes, flipping them, salt and pepper at the end of cooking. 12 min

    Don't stir them too soon, they need to form a crust.

  2. Flour the trout and pan-sear in butter, 5 minutes per side, using two pans if needed. 10 min

    Skim the butter as you go if it browns too much.

  3. Foam the last of the butter, add the almonds, lemon juice, and parsley, pour over the trout and serve with the potatoes.

    Pour the almond butter over the trout right before serving, so the almonds stay crunchy.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick trout of similar size so they all finish cooking at the same time, otherwise some will be done before the others.
  • Use two pans at once if your trout are large, an overcrowded pan steams the fish instead of browning it.
  • Save the butter left in the pan after cooking the trout to foam with the almonds and lemon, it already carries the fish flavor.

The variations

  • Swap the sliced almonds for crushed hazelnuts for a stronger flavor, toast them the same way.
  • For a fish-free version, make the same recipe with thin chicken breast fillets, the almond butter works just as well.
  • For kids, serve the trout as deboned fillets instead of whole, they eat more easily without worrying about bones.

What to serve it with

  • Lamb's lettuce salad with lemon vinaigrette
  • Dry white wine like Sancerre
  • Seasonal fruit tart for dessert

Storage

Cooked trout keeps one day in the fridge in a closed container, but the skin loses its crispness when reheated. Sautéed potatoes reheat better in a pan than in the microwave. Avoid freezing this dish, pan-seared fish dries out when thawed.

Questions about this recipe

Can you use trout fillets instead of whole trout?

Yes, but whole trout stays more tender and holds together better in the pan. With fillets, cut the cooking time to 3 or 4 minutes per side depending on thickness.

How do you know when the trout is cooked through?

The flesh should pull away easily from the center bone and turn opaque and pearly. If it still looks translucent near the bone, give it another minute per side.

Do you need to scale the trout before cooking?

Trout from the fish counter is usually already gutted and cleaned, ask your fishmonger to confirm. Otherwise, run the back of a knife from tail to head under cold water.

Can you use almond flour instead of sliced almonds?

No, almond flour burns almost instantly and won't give you the same crunch. Sliced or chopped almonds are needed for this recipe.

Can a trout with almonds be made ahead?

Yes, during the day. The recipe needs 30 min of work in total, split up like this, the same day, 1 step, before the guests arrive, 2 steps, when it's time to serve, 3 steps.

How long does it take to make a trout with almonds?

Allow 45 min in total, including resting and cooking time, of which 30 min is actual work. The recipe is rated "easy".

How many calories are in a trout with almonds?

About 550 kcal per person, for a recipe meant for 6 people. The calories are calculated by Kiloach, your kilo coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a trout with almonds cost?

About €5.20 per person, that's €31.20 for 6 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains fish, tree nuts, lactose, gluten. Remember to ask your guests about their allergies before putting your menu together.

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